Best FREE SIM Cards in Germany [2024] - Live In Germany

So, what is a free SIM card? Every mobile phone needs a card to connect with others and communicate with your card and the phone. A free SIM card is a small chip of your mobile phone or tablet you can get from your mobile phone provider. A free SIM card is a better option for those who use phones sparingly. Children and seniors who do not make many calls and messages must have a free card on their phone as the credit is manageable according to the need.

Advantages of Having a Free SIM Card in Germany

Finding a free SIM card is becoming challenging, but everyone tries to see it to enjoy many advantages. Well, everything has its pros and cons. The best thing about having a free SIM card in Germany is that.

• You would not be bound by any contract with the SIM card providers in Germany and enjoy the prepaid tariff without limitation.
• A free SIM card offers better control of expenses and costs, which ultimately helps you control your budget.
• There is no cost to bear while getting a free SIM card from your mobile phone provider.
• You can test a specific cell phone network, port your number with a detour, coverage in your area, want to be reachable, and check reception for a particular location.
• You can have a second mobile phone and equip it with your inexpensive phone number. You can have the opportunity to be reached at a new number.
• You can get it delivered to your home without any delivery costs (no shipping fee) and additional fees (no one-off cost).

Registration of the Free SIM Card

Once you get your free SIM card, you must register your free card for the free prepaid offers. According to the decision by the Federal Court in 2016, ID data for prepaid card users must be recorded. Hence, the registration obligation applies to all free prepaid users and offers. You do not need to register your cards if you have some contract or tariff invoices.

Best Free SIM Cards Providers in Germany

Many providers are offering free SIM cards in Germany. When discussing prepaid options, several large and small mobile phone providers will provide you with a free SIM card, meaning you will not pay even a cent out of your pocket. Here, we will discuss a few of the best providers in offers and packages. A few of these mobile cards offer additional services for free. Remember to check your provider if you need to top up your free SIM card regularly so they do not get deactivated. Let us jump to the list of Germany’s best free SIM cards.

• Lebara Mobile
• Netzclub
• O2 Test Card
• O2 Free Ticket
• Deutsche Telekom
• Vodafone
• WhatsApp SIM

Let us discuss each one in detail.

Lebara Mobile

Lebara Mobile is a provider that operates exclusively on the Telefonica O2 network, and users can get a free SIM card there without bearing any one-time fee, shipping cost, or other additional charges. Top-up charges are incurred when the SIM card is activated (after activation costs via charging the SIM card), and you can convert the credit into the data volume, call minutes, and prepaid tariffs.

Features of Lebara Mobile Free SIM Card

• Mobile network: E Netz (telefonica)
• LTE network technology with 25 Mbit/s
• The starter package cost is 0.00 Euros.
• The starting credit is also 0.00 Euros.
• No shipping costs apply, and you get a free SIM card at home.
• You are open and free to expand your SIM card to get paid subscriptions and services.
• Amazing option is Lebara’s “Hello! Prepaid”

Netzclub

Netzclub is a mobile phone provider offering free prepaid SIM cards to foreigners in Germany.  Their tariffs are partly financed by advertising. The Sponsored Surf 2.0 tariff gives the free prepaid card with its offer and the 200 MB LTE data volume every four weeks.

Key Features of Netzclub SIM Cards

So here is the answer to the question: what is unique about Netzclub SIM cards?

• It gives a lot of free offers and packages compared to the other providers.
• 200 MB per month free for up to 28 days
• Have a Netzclub app that offers access to the customer portal
• Mobile network: E Netz (telefonica)
• LTE network technology
• The starter package cost is 0.00 Euros.
• The starting credit is also 0.00 Euros.
• 9 cents per SMS and minute
• Includes EU roaming
• A triple SMS facility is also available
• Users will receive up to 30 monthly special offers from Netzclub’s marketing teams either via email, MMS, or SMS.
• Offers free high-speed data volume
• You are free to decide the product about which you want to receive the advertising and promotional message. These may include fashion, lifestyle, computer, business, cell phone, and many other product areas.
• Discounts, vouchers, and information are available from Netzclub partners.
• Only prepaid mobile phone providers offer SIM cards where you can get a free internet flat rate.
• Implement its tariffs on the O2 Telefonica network.
• Comparatively low prices

O2

O2 offers two different SIM cards for their users for the in-house e-network without any charges. You can top up your SIM card when you need it. You will not have any cost beforehand. An all-network and SMS flat rate to any German network is added. O2 prepaid 9 cent is a prepaid card the O2 network operator offers. With a one-month package, mobile data will cost you around 99 cents daily for one month.

Features of O2 SIM Cards

Here are the key features of O2 SIM cards;

• Free additional data volume by using My O2 App (O2 mobile application)
• E-Netz mobile network (Telefonica)
• LTE mobile technology
• Get a SIM card for 0.00 Euros
• The starting credit is 1.00 Euros

O2 Test Card

O2 also offers test cards, with which you can test the electric network on time. Suppose you are a new customer and recently arrived in Germany. In that case, you must get an O2 test card, which will allow you to enjoy the Telefonica network services for a full 30 days for free with unlimited access. There is no cancellation fee even if you want to quit using your test card before 30 days, as it ends automatically after 30 days. In this case, it is highly recommended that you dispose of your O2 test card. Do not keep it with you after the trial period ends. You cannot extend the trial period to use your O2 test card. You are also required to share the bank details with the provider. A free SIM card from O2 is usually called “O2 my prepaid 9 Ct”, which means you pay 9 cents per minute, and SMS to all German networks and EU roaming is also included in it. If you are a new customer, have a third-party contract, and have access to the O2 network, then you can use an O2 test card.

Features of O2 Test Card

Here are the features of O2 test cards;

• A test card is also free of cost.
• You can test the electric network immediately.
• E-Netz mobile network (Telefonica)
• You can use it as a triple SIM for eSIM.
• No EU roaming.
• 5G network technology (you can use the 5G network absolutely free without any issues)
• Get a SIM card for 0.00 Euros
• The starting credit is 0.00 Euros
• Provide the visit with the internet.
• Acts as a bridge between two different fixed-term contracts
• No shipping or one-time costs
• There is no limitation on the data volume and download speed during the first month, and ends after 30 days. Enjoy the unlimited data volume with 4G or 5G and up to 500 Mbit/s for four weeks.
• Best for those who want to have a new SIM for temporary use.

O2 Free Ticket

O2 also offers a complimentary ticket with an expiry period of 30 days. You can use it even after 30 30-day trial period, unlike the O2 test card. If you also get your mobile phone with the O2 free ticket, you will have 25 Euros for free.

Features of O2 Free Ticket

Here are the critical characteristics of an O2 free ticket. - No expiry period.
- Starting credit of 1.00 Euros
- E-Netz mobile network (Telefonica)
- LTE mobile technology
- Get a SIM card for 0.00 Euros
- Surf domestically for up to 225 Mbit/s

Deutsche Telekom

Deutsche Telekom (Telekom D1 network) does not offer free SIM cards like O2 and other providers. Magenta Mobil prepaid offer by Telekom is made explicitly for the SIM transition. With these offers by Magenta Mobil, you need to pay a small amount for the SIM card starting credit. Telekom offers a free ticket for which you will not incur any costs. Prepaid discounters and providers charge a connection fee, which you get back as an initial credit on your mobile card, which you can then convert into call minutes, SMS, or data volume according to your needs and requirements.

Rates and a Few Packages by Telekom Provider

Telekom is the only provider that offers prepaid SIM cards with some fixed monthly costs. A few of the operators give free SIM cards in the Telekom network.

• Users of Telekom SIM cards can get all-network flat-rate phone calls and SMS for only 2.95 Euros.
• Get the 500 MB of high-speed internet for only 7.95 Euros.

Features of Telekom D1 Network

• D Netz Telekom mobile network
• LTE network technology
• The starter package cost is 9.95 Euros. (One time cost)
• The starting credit is 10 Euros.
• Flexible flat options and packages
• There is no obligation or limitation if you want to try out the Deutsche Telekom network.
• You can get the prepaid card (MagentaMobil Smart) with no contract or minimum term.
• You can cancel it at any time you want.
• Mathematically free SIM card but not absolutely free like other mobile phone and SIM card providers

Vodafone

Free SIM card from Vodafone’s D2 network is offered as Vodafone CallYa Classic. With this, you can get a prepaid free SIM card. You can book according to your requirements and choose from the different options. There is no contract period, so you decide without any limitation. You can book your data volume as needed, either for a month or a few special days. All Vodafone CallYa tariffs include a free SIM card for their users.

Lidl Connect Classic is another SIM card offered by Vodafone that allows you to stay connected without additional or one-time costs. SIM cards are cheaper when you have special offers. Besides the initial credit, you can get a whopping 10 Euros (bonus) if you take your phone number.

Rates and Few Packages

• If you want to get a 5G high-speed data volume, you will pay 19.99 Euros.
• You can also book your 5G package for one month to get a fast 5G network for only 3 Euros.
• If you want to talk for only a few minutes, 9 cents per minute is an excellent option.
• To make calls on the Vodafone network, choose the flat rate option of 2.99 Euros.
• For a few shorter conversations on different days, you can book an additional option with the flexible term of four weeks as given below;
  • 100 minutes or SMS for only 4.99 Euros
  • 500 minutes or SMS for only 9.99 Euros

Advantages of Vodafone

• Free SIM by Vodafone offer different advantages to its users, as mentioned below;
• Zero Euro fixed cost and no shipping costs
• More flexibility, more options
• 10 Euros free if you take your phone number with you
• D Netz Vodafone mobile network
• 5G network technology
• The starter package cost is 0.00 Euros
• Includes EU roaming
• Triple SIM or eSIM
• The starting credit is 0.00 Euros
• 9 cents per minute or SMS
• You can book your data volume on a daily or four-week basis.

WhatsApp SIM

This SIM is specially created for WhatsApp lovers, especially young users who need credit to make calls and so cannot send messages to their loved ones. They can connect with others through their data volume and make free calls and messages. These users can use WhatsApp chat functions even if they do not have active mobile data volume. For the long-term usage of WhatsApp, you only need to top up your SIM by only 5 Euros every six months, which is excellent for young users. The connection fee to have a WhatsApp SIM card is 10 Euros, and you will get a starting credit of 15 Euros. Once you have the SIM connection, you will get the WhatsAll 4000 option, which you can cancel after four weeks. Your data connection will not be interrupted, and you can surf at 32 kBit per second, which is enough for WhatsApp users and other messenger apps.

Mathematically Free SIM Cards

Many SIM cards are free but incur some costs. A starter package is included with these SIM cards by the provider. The price includes shipping costs and connection fees. Starting credit in these SIM cards can be exchanged for SMS, call minutes, data volume, and many specialised packages from the free SIM provider. The credit price is always higher than the purchase price you paid for the starter package when getting your SIM, which is why it is called mathematically free SIM.

Almost Free SIM Cards by Telecom Network

Here is the list of other mathematical free SIM cards the Telekom network offers. In the table below, mobile network, cost of SIM, starting credit, and initial balance are also mentioned.

Almost Free SIM Cards by Vodafone

Like Telekom, Vodafone also offers SIM cards that incur some costs but have a good starting package and initial credit. Here are the other mathematical free SIM cards by Vodafone. In the table below, mobile network, cost of SIM, starting credit, and initial balance are also mentioned.

Almost Free SIM Cards by Telefonica

Telefonica also offers SIM cards that incur costs but are considered free SIM cards. Here is the table in which mathematically free SIM cards by Telefonica are mentioned.

Criteria to Buy a Free SIM Card (Factors to Pay Attention at the Time of Getting the Free SIM Card)

The decision is all yours as you are a better judge of your needs. You must remember a few crucial factors while getting your free SIM card.

Charging the SIM and Top up Options

Most providers have a mobile app through which you can quickly charge your SIM with a single click. Many shopkeepers, supermarkets, fuel stations, and other spots offer top-up services to get credit on your phone. A few providers offer free minutes, SMS, data volume, and some top-ups.

Cost and Fee

Some operators have an essential connection fee, while many are offering absolutely free SIM cards to their users. With the starting credit, the primary cost is eliminated. If you have a free SIM card, there is no starting credit. Check if your SIM card has some fees when you get it.

Network Quality and Coverage

Network quality and coverage are the most critical factors for mobile card users.  Choose a SIM card that offers users the best quality and coverage, as the fastest internet is everyone’s need these days. Do check the customer reviews and the reliability before you make your final decision.

Cost for Calls and Messages

Remember to check if any call or SMS charges apply to your card. According to the rule, 9 cents is the cost in Germany for a one-minute call. Ask about the call packages and offers if you need to make frequent calls and messages. There are better options than a prepaid and free SIM card model if you need multiple daily calls.

Tariffs and Flat Rates

There is a large selection of tariffs and flat rates that you might select when you order your SIM card. The price will be deducted from the credit you have on your SIM card and is valid for one month. Ensure from your provider that your chosen package is automatically extendable or expires after one month.

Mobile Internet

If you do not have a stable Wi-Fi connection, ask your provider about your SIM card’s options to use your mobile internet. Some providers offer packages on an MB basis, while others offer daily or monthly. Get all the details and check the packages that best suit your usage needs.

Concluding Remarks

You can get a free SIM card from any provider online via the Internet. Netzclub is the best if you need the most free data volume with 200 MB per month. If you want to get the accessible data volume from Netzclub, you need to agree to the condition of creating an advertising profile. FYVE is best for those who prefer cheap calls to many other countries. Vodafone offers 5G services for some additional charges. Rest assured, your decision depends on coverage, availability, offers, cost, etc. Cheers, and happy sharing!